Ariel Theory
by swanfire
Summary: What I'm predicting Ariel's story will be like. Oneshot, really sad if I do say so myself.


**Hi guys! So this is what I think Ariel's Story is gonna be. We know that she has a relation to either: Rumple, Belle, Regina, Neal, Hook, Emma, Snow, or Charming. This is just what I think's gonna happen. Hope you guys like this. **

* * *

Ariel Pov

She was just a siren.

Bound to her rock night and day, she'd spend the time luring in young men.

She didn't _want _to break their hearts, but she didn't want to be hurt again. Not after Eric...

Ariel sighed. She ran her pale fingers through her matted hand in an attempt to pretty herself up.

Maybe if she could become perfect enough, flawless enough, someone could truly love her, like how she'd thought Eric had.

Those years had definitely been her happiest, strolling along beaches and going to magnificent balls, all with the lean legs she longed for every second of the day.

All she had now was a murky green tail, immersed in slime. It was completely useless compared to the legs that could do so much.

She still remembered when she'd got them.

FLASHBACK

Ariel looked at her sister. She was beautiful, with enticing brown locks and coral pink eyes.

She couldn't help but be a little jealous.

Her sister had everything; beauty, friends, love. All Ariel had was a dollop of red hair and boring blue eyes, the same color as the water she saw everyday.

She didn't even have friends. No one seemed to like her, and the sad truth was that Ariel didn't think she'd like herself either.

That left one thing: love.

Of course she didn't think anyone liked her _that_ way, but a girl could hope and that hope was the last sliver she had.

For who could love an ugly and friendless girl with a name as horrific as Ariel?

Ariel was broken and needed someone to help her fix the crack.

* * *

That night she'd cried herself to sleep, only able to think about how imperfect she was.

She just wanted to be happy. Was that too much to ask for?

In the morning, Ariel realized something.

She needed to live to live. She couldn't live this life anymore. She needed a fresh start.

When Ariel was a little girl, self-confident and happy, her grandmother told her stories of a land with out water, a land completely dry and filled with beings not too different from us.

Her grandmother swore that she was telling the truth, and Ariel needed to believe her more than ever if she wanted to do what she intended.

She'd have to find this mysterious new land first off, though.

From behind her blanket Ariel watched as her other sister, Cecille, welcomed some orange fish who'd swam into their bedroom.

Cecille petted their rough backs and gave them a small farewell as they made their way out.

Ariel studied her victim. She'd always been nice to her, unlike Brianna, who'd never liked anyone with a mucus-green tail, as her sister called it.

But Cecille, whose tail was a pale yellow, didn't seem to care what color anyone's tail was, whether yours was a mulchy brown or a playful pink.

Cecille would most definitely help her, and if Ariel was lucky, Lulu would come along.

Lulu, being the oldest, and in Ariel's opinion the prettiest, was always annoyed by her siblings though she loved them all very much.

She was also the sister she'd been so envious of last night.

"Cecille?" Ariel's whisper showed just how scratchy her voice was from sobbing the previous night.

The said mermaid's head flicked around, leaving her concerned seaweed green orbs focused on Ariel's tiny bed.

"Ariel? You okay? You sound sick."

She nodded a yes back to her sister. "I'm okay."- Ariel felt guilty about lying, she was most certainly NOT okay- "I just want to tell you something."

Cecille's round head was cocked in confusion. "What do you want to tell me?"

Her tail swished about furiously behind her, propelling Cecille towards Ariel. She held a bated breath.

Was she really going to tell her that easily? She hadn't even thought it through- maybe it was the wrong decision. She didn't eve- "Ineedhelptogettotheplacegrandmatoldusabout."

It came out so fast she wasn't sure Cecille even heard it. Cecille's bewildered look confirmed her thought.

"Ariel, can you speak a little slower, honey?"

Ariel shut her eyes tight. She could do this. It wasn't like Cecille was Brianna or something.

"I need help to get to the place Grandma always told us about."

She regretted saying the sentence as soon as it left her mouth. Cecille's own mouth was slightly ajar.

"Now why would you want to do _that?"_

Ariel tried to think of a response that would satisfy Cecille without revealing too much.

"Uhhhhh, I'm just curious." Ariel's reply seemed to fulfill her siblings question. She _was_ known for her curiosity.

When Ariel was just three she'd attempted to protect her family from a vicious shark; blinded by the want to know instead of fear.

She could go on, story after story, but she didn't have time for that. Cecille, who'd been yapping as soon as she heard Ariel's answer, was now expecting a reply.

"Um, Cecille, as my favorite sister and all, could you please repeat the question?" Ariel flinched at Cecille's look.

It wasn't as bad as what Brianna would of done- or any of her sisters- but the nicest mermaid she knew sure knew how to make her feel guilty.

"Fine! I'll help you. You chose me because you knew I'm susceptible to you, didn't you?"

Her tone was accusing, but the soft smile on her lips betrayed her facade of emotion. Ariel smirked right back at her, happy for her companion.

* * *

They'd been swimming for an hour now. No one had seen them except for Koal, who was in her own watery land, daydreaming pleasantly.

Now, as the seaweed grew taller and the water dimmer, Ariel was regretting her decision. She still wanted a fresh start, but she didn't imagine working this hard for one.

"Cecille, my tail in practically writhing in pain! Can we pleeaseee stop?" Ariel whined

Her sister sighed. "If you want to get there by daybreak we have to keep moving!" Ariel, mouth slightly agape at her sister's outburst, she nodded silently and trailed along.

It took another half hour, but they made it to the cave; obsidian black with streaks of brilliant red, guarded with nothing but a plethora of decaying seaweed.

"It's the cave." Ariel spoke in a barely heard murmur. "The one Grandma told us about." Cecille's voice matched Ariel's.

In her story of dry land, she'd included a vision of the place where mermaids went to get legs- some weird contraption where, instead of a tail, you had two long limbs, much like your arms, and her Grandma had explained how wistful and wonderful they were.

In the tales, Ariel had imagined a cave just like this. But seeing it's incredible dreariness up close was the most surprising thing she'd experienced.

"Should we go in?" Cecille's voice cut through her thoughts.

"Yah." Ariel couldn't help but notice the shakiness in her own voice. Her sister flashed her an encouraging smile before escorting her inside.

It had taken forever to piece together the clues from Grandma's story to find this place, but now that they were here it was hard to even think about going inside.

But all her reluctance was pushed aside as she thought of her new life.

Once in the treacherous place, she was surprised to learn that underneath it's sullen cover, it was fairly warm and peaceful.

"Wha-" Cecille's voice trailed away.

The only faintly scary thing inside was a mirror, adorned with silver spikes and painted midnight black.

At the sound of visitors, blue smoke clouded over the object before clearing to reveal a fairly old-looking man.

"Why have you come to see Queen Regina?" He droned.

Ariel timidly pushed her red hair behind her ears, hoping Cecille would explain their visit. Sure enough, she began to speak.

"My sister, Ariel, would like to gain legs. we understand you can do that?"

Jaw dropping, Ariel had to choke down a gasp as Cecille rattled on in her very professional sounding manner.

It suddenly occurred to her that the blue man was talking again, so she stopped to listen.

"-will get the Queen immediately."

The blue fog disappeared in a snap and was replaced with a fierce woman, embroidered with black hair and brown eyes the same color as Lilianna's.

"I've heard you want legs?" Her uneven tone and smirk put Ariel in a very precarious situation, but with one glance at Cecille and all her hard work, she managed to mumble a nearly inaudible 'Yes.'

The Queen let out a joyous laugh before speaking once again. "I'll be there in just a second."

Sure enough, a flash of black and in popped the slender woman they'd been talking to. The only change was a air bubble around her forlorn yet excited face.

Ariel's eyes traveled lower to the most peculiar things she'd ever seen- her eyes widening as she realized they were legs.

"So you want legs. I can give them to you, but all magic comes with a price!" Her voice was filled with glee, rebounding across the cave's smooth walls.

"What would the price be?" Cecille and Ariel's question was asked simeultaineosly, both protective and a tad scared.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just your heart."

"My _what_?" Ariel subconsciously clutched at her chest, shock written all over her face.

"I told you. Your heart." The woman seemed to be getting annoyed.

"But it won't kill me?"

Regina nodded tonelessly. Before she could react, she walked right up to Ariel, thrusting her hand into her chest.

Attacked by surprise, Ariel became frozen in a fetal position. Cecille screamed out her name.

But it was all over in a matter of seconds. Ariel gulped down the water hungrily, feeling very weak and feeble, like she'd just lost an important body part; which in a way she had.

Regina, on the other hand, was smiling widely, Ariel's heart glowing in her hand.

A surge of anger blasted through her, and she shouted, "Now I want my legs!" Her voice was tinged with desperation. Cecille stumbled a bit at her outburst.

"Hmmmm? Oh, yes. The legs." With a simple wave of her hand and a second of terrible pain, Ariel collapsed on the cold floor underneath her.

END OF FLASHBACK

Ah, yes, she remembered it all too well. And poor Cecille. Ariel hadn't left her rock in months.

Ever since she'd met Eric, nothing had been the same.

She preferred solitude over her own family! The thought washed up new guilt, but she easily overcame it.

If she became weak, Eric would happen all over again. She had to be a fierce warrior, uncaring.

That way the next man she would meet wouldn't be a disaster all over again. Speaking of men, she had forgotten her lipstick.

Sighing, she jumped ever-so-reluctantly into the icy water, churning with glumness.

Men wouldn't leave her if she was actually beautiful- or would they?

* * *

ONE YEAR AGO

Eric Pov

The night was quiet. The only noise was that of the waves meeting the beach, in mimic with Ariel's heavy breathing.

She'd been grumpy all day, ending it with the want to be as far away from him as possible.

She was sleeping on one of the couches nearby, and Eric couldn't help but smile. She'd have weird days like this all the time- and he still loved her.

The day he first met her was wonderful. He would of reminisced more if he hadn't heard faint mumbling coming from Ariel's petite mouth.

Ariel had never talked in her sleep before, so Eric couldn't help but listen. "He's soo annoying... I hate him _so_ much... Maybe he's evil, that would explain lots of things..."

He felt an upsurge of anger towards the man that seemed to be causing her so much pain.

Eric found himself wondering who, and to his surprise, a faint whisper of 'Who?' pierced the empty silence.

Ariel frowned slightly in her sleep. "Eric."

His breathing stopped. She hated him? For some reason, even though she'd had one of her silly anger attacks right before sleep, he felt as if all her pain and torment was true.

Ariel hated being with him. It was painful and dreadful and boring... Though Eric loved her more than anything, he knew what he had to do.

Maybe it was the fact that he'd had no sleep, but he found himself leaving his true love with nothing but a kiss to the forehead.

"Bye Ariel. I love you."

* * *

**The reason Ariel was saying all those things about Eric is because of Regina. She did that thing Cora did to Aurora in season 2 by whispering to the heart. She also used magic to help influence Eric's decision to leave. She wanted to split them up for the same reason she wants to split Snow and Charming up- true love. She just has an edge over them. I know this is completely unrealistic, ecspecially Regina breathing with her air bubble but I tried to depict her as well as I could. Thanks for reading! Please review!**


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